Exiled Tibetan PM Lobsang Sangay launches new campaign for autonomy

Accusing China of engaging in a "misinformation campaign" about Middle Way Approach, the prime minister of Tibetan government-in-exile on Thursday, launched a new campaign to highlight what their administration is proposing in terms of "genuine autonomy" within that country.

The leader of Central Tibetan Administration and Prime Minister of Tibetan government-in exile, Lobsang Sangay unveiled in Dharamsala on Thursday, their "most concerted effort to-date to bring about basic freedom for Tibetan people". "With the Middle Way Approach Campaign, we are trying to engage the international community – young people, diplomats, media, people from all walks of life across different nations to counter the Chinese Government's misinformation campaign about the policy," Sangay said in a statement issued.

He presented the Dalai Lama, who has devolved his political responsibilities to the elected leader, with the information package. The campaign would help people across the globe to understand why the Tibetan people were calling for genuine autonomy, Sangay said. He said this campaign has been initiated after four years of talks with Chinese Government reached a stalemate in 2010 and about 130 Tibetans have self-immolated since 2009 for autonomy.

The Middle Way Approach information materials including an interactive website, short documentary video, social media campaign, time-line of the Tibetan struggle and Frequently Asked Questions – many of them available in seven languages including Chinese.

The Middle Way Approach, which refers to a middle path between repression and separation, has the support of international leaders including US President Barack Obama and Chinese intellectuals, such as imprisoned Nobel Peace Laureate, Liu Xiaobo, he claimed.

The Dalai Lama and the then-Tibetan administration formulated the "Middle Away Approach" policy in 1974. Sangay also called on the international community members to join the "Umaylam: Middle Way Approach Campaign". There are 6 million Tibetans in Tibet, and another 150,000 around the world.